JUNE 16TH 2021: Day of the African Child

Survey questions were administered to the children by the supervisory staff of Banana Island School under the auspices of SDG Book Club Africa.

The children at Banana Island School are from a diverse and rich African background cutting across different African heritages. The African children at the school are predominantly Nigerians, but other African countries such as the Ivory Coast and Algeria are also represented.

The children were incredibly enthusiastic about celebrating the Day of the African Child. The celebrations involved a series of cross-curricular activities. The day provided a good opportunity for the children to learn about different tribes and nationalities. They learnt about cultural similarities and differences between the tribes and cultures.

For History/Geography, the children studied the map of Africa and located Soweto in South Africa. They looked at the languages spoken there and an overview of the local culture. They were particularly interested to learn about the tragic death of South African students during the Soweto uprising in 1976 as they protested against the Apartheid system of education. They compared life in 1976 to life in 2021.

In Literacy, the children created blog posts; developed role-play skills by re-enacting the Soweto demonstration, and wrote imaginary diary entries describing the thoughts and feelings of the children of Soweto during the uprising.

For PSED and public speaking, they looked at balanced arguments, debating for and against the notion that the African Child has a lot to celebrate.

In Numeracy, they worked out what fraction/percentage of children at their school are of African heritage. They especially enjoyed interviewing their families and coming up with suggestions for ways to celebrate the African Child.

An unexpected but heart-warming outcome of this exercise is how the project seems to have strengthened family bonds. This was particularly in evidence when children questioned their families about their cultures and learnt about the richness of their heritage. Others simply reveled in the beauty of the attractions and monuments located in their tribal areas such as the Olumo Rock in Ogun State in south-western Nigeria.

A particular concern of the children is the need to raise awareness of the fact that all African children should be special, regardless of socio-economic conditions, so that all African children can have a better future.

Another major concern of the pupils at Banana Island School was the urgency of reducing plastic pollution as well as the cessation of animal cruelty.

In response to the survey, our children talked passionately about their love for Banana Island School. They expressed how safe they feel and how they enjoy playing with their friends. They appreciated the fact that their teachers go the extra mile to make lessons educational as well as memorable. Children interviewed talked about favourite subjects. For some it was maths, for others it was writing, or art or physical education.

The celebration of the Day of the African Child was a huge success. Not only have the children drawn closer to their families through this exercise, but they also appear to have found a new sense of self and identity. All in all, a thoroughly worthy project.

The report was written by supervisory staff of Banana Island International School, Lagos, Nigeria. 

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